Low-Input Overseeding: Page 3 of 8

by R.L. Dalrymple

Proper Use of Overseeded Forages
We graziers must understand that the winter forages grown in warm-season grass residue are premium quality and somewhat expensive, costing about $40 per ton for seed, fertilizer, and low-input planting technique. The cost is low for purchased feed, but not for some livestock pasture. To be economically justified, these forages must be used by livestock requiring high nutrition: retained-ownership weaned calves, stocker cattle, lactating dairy cows, replacement heifers, first-calf heifers, and brood mares, for example. If commercial beef cows under maintenance nutrition graze the forages, they usually must do so in a limited grazing syndrome for winter/spring protein supplementation, or as gleaners of leftover stubble at the end of the season, for the forage to be economical. There are exceptions, such as grazing volunteer annual ryegrass, "cheatgrasses," or rescuegrass in warm-season grass residues, which is the cheapest of the grass-only low-input methods of overseeding.

Regions of Use
In the United States, some proper adaptation of these techniques works in zones with 25 inches of precipitation or more.

Page 4:
Low-Input Planting Techniques & Equipment >